


The Mirror of Erised

by MimsyStigg



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-16 07:51:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18687253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MimsyStigg/pseuds/MimsyStigg
Summary: "I show not your face but your heart's desire"The story of what happens when a young girl does the impossible and tumbles out of the Mirror of Erised.





	1. The Mirror

The mirror was like water and the glass seemed to swirl around her fingers as they brushed against it.

Whatever was happening, she knew it must be very powerful, as she could feel the surge of energy, almost like electricity, crackling beneath the surface. 

As she sat, stroking the cool glass, not yet daring to offer more than a few light touches, she couldn't help but wonder what secrets lay behind that silky screen.

It was strangely hypnotic: standing there in the quiet isolation of the orphanage's bathroom, knowing her classmates, or inmates (she had never thought of them as friends) were so close, filling in their exams on the other side of the wall, and yet so far away. So strange that they could not see what she saw; could not feel the gravity of this mirror, drawing her closer and filling her with the kind of burning impulse that made her fingers itch.

"Gemma," A voice whispered and she knew it had come from the place beyond the glass but still turned anyway. 

Growing up in The Home (or Academy as they were supposed to call it now) meant there was hardly ever any peace. Someone was always watching you. 

But not now.

Now, in this moment, her moment, she was completely alone and she took one last look at the peeling wallpaper and grubby floor. She thought one last time about Mr Peters and how he would sneak into their dormitory at night and snatch up one of the older girls, carrying her away only to be returned later, shaking from some unspeakable horror. A horror from which Gemma had so far been saved.

But she wouldn't be saved forever.

And, although the world on the other side of this strange mirror was a complete mystery, anything was better than staying here.

Taking her chances, and praying that she would come out of wherever she ended up alive, the young girl slipped a hand through the glass, noticing at once how unlike water the mirror actually was. It felt tougher, somehow, and leathery. At this revelation, she tried to pull her hand back but it was no use. The part of her on the other side of the mirror was now trapped and there was no turning back.

Realising, somewhat unhappily, that the mirror clearly only went one way, the girl bit her lip before hurling herself headfirst into a complete and terrifying darkness...


	2. Ooph!

“Ooph!”

It wasn’t a very eloquent response, but the hardy crack to Gemma’s head as she landed on the cold stone floor had left the child totally lost for words.

Groaning, she sat up and placed a shaking hand to the sore spot on her head. There would be a lump there tomorrow and she could still feel the force of the blow echoing in her skull as she opened her eyes and blinked. Wherever she was, it was very dark and it took her eyes a while to adjust to the change in lighting. When they did she was shocked by what she saw.

The mirror she had fallen through seemed to have doubled in size and the smudged screen was now prefect and unmarred, reflecting the dim orange glow of some unseen candles. At the top of the mirror was a strange inscription and at the bottom, it stood on heavy stone feet.

These things, however, were not what Gemma noticed first. 

Instead, she stared wide eyed at her own, glowing reflection. Noting, with embarrassment, that she was now completely naked.

Her clothes must still be on the other side of the mirror and she pressed a hand to it, hoping to travel back to her own world but it was no use. The portal had closed and whatever strange force had bought her here clearly did not intend on sending her back so soon. 

Gemma sighed in frustration and collapsed back onto the stone floor, grabbing her knees, her dark hair fanning around her as she groaned. 

Her head was still pounding, and the pain made it hard to think but she knew she had to do something. As much as she wanted to stay where she was until her headache calmed down, sitting here wasn’t going to help her and besides, she had to find out where here was.

Standing up, she took another look around the room, using her hands to cover herself awkwardly when she again caught sight of her naked reflection. 

It was quite a large room really and what little light there was seemed to be coming from a few, strangely placed candles at the end furthest from the mirror where there stood a small, wooden door.

She walked towards it, glancing for a second at the candles and noting how strangely they seemed to glow, giving off less and less light the closer you got: almost as if they were alive.

When her hand finally reached out and she touched the handle the lights extinguished themselves and Gemma shouted instinctively, pulling hard against the door until it swung open.

Outside the strange room the world seemed to grow simultaneously brighter and more frightening. She used her hands to cover her naked body and stared in wonder at the new world around her. 

She was in a castle: that much was clear from the high stone walls and the creepy armoured knight balancing stiffly on the cold floor. It was like being in a fairy tale and the young girl tiptoed silently through the corridor, praying she wouldn’t bump into anyone until she had a chance to find something to more adequately cover herself.

Luckily as she made her way through the corridor, she came across a tapestry hanging on one of the walls and tore it down, wrapping it around her shoulders like a cloak. She thought about calling for help but it didn’t seem like a good idea. She didn’t know anyone here and was afraid of attracting the wrong sort of attention.

Just as she was deciding which way to turn at one of the many corners she heard a loud and angry voice boom out from behind her.

“What in Merlin’s name do you think you’re doing out of bed at this time!” He shouted and the girl didn’t risk a look at who had spoken as she darted away from the heavy footsteps now pounding towards her.

Her bare feet slid on the cold stone floor as she rounded a particularly sharp corner but the girl managed to keep herself upright and continued to run frantically, her pursuer still shouting as he stormed towards her.

“Come back here this instant!” He shouted. “Or I’ll take so many House Points you’ll be in negative figures!”

Gemma wasn’t sure what that meant but it sounded bad. 

Still, she couldn’t stop herself running and would have continued to do so, had it not been for the sight of another, seemingly older man rounding the corner she had just turned into, causing her to stumble backwards and trip on the tapestry cloak which pulled out from under her as she fell.  
This time she had the good sense to put her hands out behind her to break her fall, although when her first pursuer finally caught up with her she wished she had been knocked unconscious.

The man mumbled something under his breath and light flooded the corridor, illuminating her naked body.


	3. Awkward

When Professor Snape realised the child wasn’t wearing anything he paled, averting his eyes as he summoned the blanket she had previously been wrapped in to cover her (which turned out, to his annoyance, to be a very old and very expensive tapestry).

Looming over her, he ground his teeth, trying to think of a suitably snide thing to say when Filch suddenly appeared from around the corner the girl had tried to run down. 

That must have been what startled her and the Professor eyed the Caretaker and his mangy cat through narrowed eyes as they approached the scene.

“Well well Professor.” The old man smirked, leering down at the girl who sat wide and frightened before him, tapestry clutched protectively to her bare breasts. “Seems we caught this one at it. What were you doing running around the castle in the middle of the night? And in such a lovely outfit too.”

Professor Snape rolled his eyes. 

Filch had a thing for drama and seemed to be enjoying this far too much, whilst all Snape wanted was to finish his rounds and get back to bed.

“Thank you Filch but I’ll deal with this one myself.” He said, waving a dismissive hand at the old man who reluctantly scuttled back into the shadows.

Careful not to disturb the fabric of the tapestry he offered the child a hand and helped her to stand.

“Honestly,” He began with a sigh. “I don’t think I want to know what you were doing tonight. Just give me your name and House. I will take 20 points, escort you back to your dormitory and we will say no more about it.”

The girl nodded but remained mute.

“Well.” He pressed. “What is your name?”

“Gemma.” The girl said quietly.

Professor Snape rolled his eyes again.

“Your full name.” He insisted.

“Oh. Um, Gemma Morton.” She said.

“And you house.” He continued, struggling to remain calm when the girl shifted on her feet and said nothing. “I don’t have time for games Miss Morton.” He pushed.

Gemma bit her lip. “Hilltop?” She said. She knew it was the wrong answer but it was the only thing she could think of and, after all, Hilltop Academy for Girls was her home.

Snape let out a puff of stale air and swallowed hard. “What house are you in?” He asked one last time and when the girl repeated her first answer he shook his head.

“Right. Fine, whatever. I don’t care.” He said. “I will find out who you are and deal with you in the morning. Now get yourself back to bed.” He ordered and the girl began to walk quickly away down one of the corridors, not realising she had headed straight into a dead end.

Snape sighed and brushed a weary hand against his face.

“On second thoughts I will escort you to the Infirmary as you are clearly incapable of making your own way anywhere.”

The child nodded and followed silently behind the dark haired man.


End file.
